The Breaking and Making of a Couple
by alliecat101
Summary: This is the story of what happens when fate in the shape of Mrs Weasley, interferes in the relationship between Tonks and Charlie. The course of 'true' love never did run smooth. May eventually turn into TonksRemus.
1. Chapter 1

The Breaking and Making of a Couple…

Disclaimer - none of the following story belongs to me, all of it is inspired by the ideas of J.K.Rowling.

Mrs Weasley had never approved of her and Charlie. There had never been the welcoming statement 'Call me Molly, Dear!' as issued to every potential Weasley girlfriend since time immemorial. Tonks had remained Nymphadora and Mrs Weasley had remained positively glacial until the arrival of Fleur and the possibility of a French connection, which must have seemed to Mrs Weasley worse than a scion of the Black blood, with the not so distant connections to the Dark Lord's inner circle. The glacial looks, had originally commenced once the secret of Tonks's metamorphic powers was revealed by accident at one of the many Weasley family get-togethers she had attended over the years. No amount of muggle talk with Mr Weasley (Tonks's Dad also had an obsession with motor vehicles) or ideas for possible tricks furtively passed to Fred or maybe George, could soften her. However the later combined with Tonk's inherent clumsiness and heritage may well have complicated matters.

If Tonks had been a lesser woman, she might well have been able to find justification in blaming Mrs Weasley for her break-up with Charlie. Mrs Weasley had after all, been the one to insist that Charlie escort an old school friend's daughter around wizarding London whilst Tonks was recovering from a particularly virulent form of chicken pox. Mrs Weasley had insisted that Charlie stay away from Tonks until she was completely healed. Mrs Weasley couldn't understand why Tonks's parents preferred her to heal the muggle way but put it down the idiosyncrasies of the Black family. After all if a woman could marry against her family's wishes, who knew what other strange ideas she might have. On the other hand, maybe it was the muggle side to blame, after all even Hermione Granger who seemed so nice and reliable, had been known to lead two men on at once. Despite what Ronald had said, Mrs Weasley knew it to be true, because hadn't it been printed in _Witches' Weekly _and everyone knew how accurate they were.

Charlie had been only too willing to comply with his mother's dictum. That summer's afternoon had begun the affair which ended the fledgling relationship between Tonks and Charlie. It was the summer of assignations and secret owls, except for actions conducted within the Weasley household, over which Mrs Weasley paraded with great joy. Tonk's summer was spent convalescing on the Cornish coastline under the watchful eye of her paternal grandmother, who was in complete agreement with Mrs Weasley, except it was Charlie who was seen as completely unsuitable for darling Dora. The two had met by accident at the National Knitting Convention and so the conspiracy which shaped the future of so many was begun with knitting needles at dawn, and finalised with the promise to swap patterns over tea and cakes later that month. Tonks only discovered the co-conspirator lurking within her own family on the last occasion she saw her grandmother.

For the vast majority of the summer, Tonks remained blissfully unaware that Charlie was waiting to break up with her in favour of a tiny, blond, blue eyed slip of a girl who listed baking and embroidery as amongst her favourite hobbies. To be fair Rosemary Brown, (elder sister of the infamous Lavender) was on the surface the last person to cause pain to anyone. She was not the evil incarnate or any of the other equally inappropriate titles Tonks bestowed upon her in the months that followed. She was just a pretty, feminine girl with a strong case of hero worship for Charlie Weasley. This can be a fatal combination to the male ego, particularly one which had been as neglected as badly as Tonks had neglected Charlie's. Tonks did not have it in her to pander to any man's ego, nor any desire to go out of her way to flatter Charlie. She and Charlie were upmost and foremost friends, and whilst Tonks did not wish to bruise Charlie's ego with false remarks about his character neither did she wish to be just one of his many quidditch groupies, assisting with the arduous task of helping to inflate his head.

How was a witch known for her taste in music and her lack of grace, to compete against the choice sanctioned by the immovable Mrs Weasley? Of course Tonks could replicate any face, become any one, but really who wants to be in a relationship where you are loved only for your ability to replicate the image of another?

The summer was halfway through when she finally returned, thinner than before, pale, slightly shaky. She knew what had happened as soon as she saw them standing together; mind you the blush that blended into Charlie's hairline was a bit of a giveaway Bill later admitted. She stumbled backwards in an effort to evade Charlie's hug. They were standing too close, hands constantly seeking the security of the other, eyes shifting, glancing first towards her, then the floor then back to one another. She wondered which would be the first to crack in the painfully silent atmosphere – all she knew at that point was that it wasn't gonna be her! Charlie looked bashfully at her or Rosemary, smarmy, grinning sneakily, knowing she'd won. Suddenly Tonks realised that the picture of sweetness and light was a carefully cultivated image maintained with the sole purpose of enabling her to entrap unsuspecting idiots. Later, once she'd calmed down, Tonks accepted that this was probably a slight over reaction.

She couldn't stand the waiting, the tension, and the agonised looks from the elder members of the Weasley clan (excepting Mrs Weasley, who honestly was smirking). He couldn't find an answer to her deceptively simple question – not how or when, but merely 'Why?' issued in a plaintive tone. In the end she was hoarse with shouting, demanding something, some response to what amounted to the end of six years of friendship and of two years of exclusive dating. He spluttered some empty platitudes about how they could always be friends and how much he had valued their time together. But as Mrs Weasley told her sometime later (whilst slightly intoxicated following a party to celebrate one of the Order's victories), he didn't need a girl to muck around with, he wanted a woman to fall in love with. At this point in time, Tonks just couldn't be that woman.

She ignored the Weasley's for the rest of the summer, for once perversely grateful that she was in Ravenclaw and not Gryffindor. Looking back it amazed her that she and Charlie had managed to maintain a friendship that had begun on the Hogwarts Express, despite differing house loyalties right through until the sixth year. She supposed quidditch fans at Hogwarts might be grateful, that the two opposing seekers might actually try to win rather than just muck around on the pitch, taking turns to be victorious as they had so often in the past. Perhaps she should not have held back, whilst the England selector had been present. Perhaps then the memory of beating Charlie might have eased the ache currently residing on the left side of her chest, an ache caused, not so much by the feelings of love lost, but by the notion of betrayal. It was the twins who suffered most from the effect of Tonks deprivation, aged only eleven, loosing their only supporter in the pranks which so often plagued the Weasley household, resulted in Charlie suffering from a spate of particularly vicious pranks. It is fair to say that Rosemary also fell victim to a fair number, and whilst Charlie felt he couldn't retaliate for the damage caused to his person, he was more than equal to the task of playing errant knight to Rosemary's damsel in distress. This was evidenced in particular after one disasterous prank which left her marooned in a pool of lumpy custard.

It wouldn't be until school began again that the full consequences of the affair would be felt by all concerned. Mrs Weasley would undoubtedly be confused when Charlie's grades dropped, as Tonks was the only one gifted with the ability to pry him away from Hagrid or quidditch magazines and propel him into the library. Tonks herself was looking forward to a lonely year, most of her friends were primarily Charlie's friends – Ravenclaw had practically disowned her for her family heritage from the word go and her incessant rule breaking had just confirmed in their opinion that for once the sorting hat must have got it wrong. And there was no way she wanted to associate with the Slytherins, half of whom wanted her dead as a perversion of purity and the other half, she just wasn't sure what they wanted, nothing good from their expressions – besides what a doxie's nest that would stir up! Tonks wasn't stupid enough to face her grandmother's wroth. Charlie had always been there to protect her from the malicious who took advantage of her clumsy nature and the fact that she rarely responded. She didn't quite know what was going to happen now.


	2. Concerts and Confrontations

Concerts and Confrontations

Disclaimer – all the ideas and inspiration for this story belong to J.K. Rowling. This chapters a bit shorter than the first, so apologies for that.

The Weird Sister's concert wasn't the same without Charlie – they'd been talking about it for the best part of a year it seemed. However despite her t-shirt and everlasting multi-coloured glow stick, charmed to change colour with every key shift or so the vendor had promised, not even the beat of the music or the sight of Ludo Bagman, attempting rather badly to dance (Tonks felt he might have been more successful imitating a chicken), could raise a smile to her face. As she tried to plaster a smile across her face and at least look as though she was enjoying herself, it suddenly dawned on her that there was no one here that she could share the experience of the concert with. It was an odd sensation to feel completely and utterly alone in a sea of young witches and wizards, all of whom seemed to have brought along enough companions to fill a double Decker bus. The impact of her break-up came crashing down upon her head, rolling over her in waves, forcing her to see how impossible the last year of school was going to be, without the company of Charlie and his friends. It was a depressing thought knowing that the library was going to have to become her new best friend. The conclusion of the song swiftly brought an end to her inner reflection, and thank Merlin in did, for Tonks had to desperately attempt to alter her current appearance to avoid detection by Bill Weasley who seemed to be striding purposefully towards her. Her changes had been a bit hit and miss lately, but she'd put that down to the left over residue from the chicken pox, there was no way she was going to admit to anyone, any possibility of it being a result of depression from her break-up.

As she attempted to escape his presence, her usual lack of grace won through and she stumbled backwards into someone's arms, Charlie's strong, capable, familiar arms. He'd recognised her in every metamorphosis, yet now only saw a stranger. He told her to take more care, and then replaced his arm around his girlfriend's delicate shoulders. Their laughter floated back to on the breeze to Tonks as she gazed mournfully after them. From somewhere deep inside came an inner strength Tonks didn't know she had. She wouldn't be single by the school year's end. As long as she had a date for the graduation ball, all would be well in her world. She'd prove to Charlie that he wasn't the only one to find her attractive. He wasn't the only one who could move on so quickly. She was prepared to do what ever it took to make Charlie regret his actions.

Bill caught up with Tonks at the refreshment stall, just as Tonks was about to purchase a bottle of Butterbeer and a pumpkin pastry she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around in shock and came face to face with his broad chest, then looked up to meet his troubled gaze.

"I knew I saw you earlier Tonks, why on earth did you do a runner?"

"Perhaps I don't want anything to do with you or your family!"

"Oh come on Tonks, don't be daft, Charlie may be an idiot – doesn't mean you've got to hate the rest of us."

"What, you really expect that me and your mum could ever manage to get on. She never wanted me and Charlie to be friends in the first place. I'm surprised she's not organised his wedding already."

"Well what about the kids then – you never finished showing Fred and George how not to get caught whilst terrorising Hogwarts. They'll need to know that stuff. And then there's Ginny and Ron, they're still waiting to find out whether Maid Marion manages to save the sappy Robin Hood."

"I'm sure Charlie's capable of helping out the twins and you've always been good with stories, Bill. So I'm sure you'll cope marvellously with my absence."

"Charlie will come to his senses sooner or later, you do realise that, don't you?"

"What if it's too late then?"

"Tonks, don't do anything the pair of you'll regret later, please I'm begging you!"

"So, it's alright for Charlie to date other women, but I'm expected to sit at home and wait for him to decide that after everything I'm the one he wants after all. I don't think so mate."

"What are you planning Tonks?"

"Nothing, I just intend to take up some of the offers that came my way last year."

"You were dating Charlie last year."

"Yes, I unlike Charlie actually believe in monogamous relationships, so I just ignored them or let them down gently. I intend to have fun this year."

"Tonks"

"Yes?"

"Just be careful, alright. I don't want to see you get any more hurt than you already are."

"Oh so you picked up on one or two of my admirers last year then, it was more than Charlie did."

"Yeah and at least half of them were Slytherins."

"I could have been in Slytherin Bill"

"But you weren't"

"No I wasn't, I'm in a house that hates me. Anyway I've got to go Bill; I'm supposed to be meeting someone."

"Anyone I know?"

"Highly doubtful – he plays for Puddlemere United. We met last week. I'd better go Bill or I'm going to be late."

"Well bye then."

"Bye."

If Bill had actually been watching, he would have seen Tonks calmly walk to the nearby apparition point and quietly leave the concert, without so much as a backwards glance. His attention was instead caught by a rather attractive young brunette witch who was clearly having difficulties understanding one of the stall holders. As a chivalrous young man, it was clearly his duty to go over and offer her his assistance. That young brunette was delighted to make his acquaintance and immediately agreed to go out with him the following evening.


	3. Isolation and Idolatry

**Isolation and Idolatry **

**Previous chapter disclaimer applies.**

Tonks had never felt more isolated living deep in the Shropshire countryside, with her muggle grandmother. Previous summers had meant multiple trips over to the Burrow with the associated hustle and bustle of the Weasley clan. The highlight of the summer holidays being the week long sleepover culminating in going to Diagon alley for school supplies.

Now all she had to look forward to was the old ladies of the village commenting on how much she'd grown and 'Was she sure her hair ought to be that shade of green?' or 'Wouldn't she rather be wearing a nice woolly cardigan rather than that mesh vest top?'. In terms of entertainment, the best the village had to offer was 'Rosie's Tea Room – Hot and Cold Food served daily' or as an alternative a 3 mile walk culminating in the ruins of an ancient castle. Tonks sometimes thought to herself that most of its inhabitants seemed to have ended up in Clun. Of course she could always catch a bus and go to Ludlow for the day, at least the tourists were funny and although the sweetshops couldn't rival Honeydukes – the sweets she'd grown up on, flying saucers, liquorice shoelaces, and gobstoppers, somehow tasted better (in her opinion) without the tint or taint of magic. It was boring but it was familiar and there would be no questions if she disappeared for hours on end only to return with silvery tear tracks. The ancient stones would tell no one if she spent hours screaming vengeance on the top of Clun hill. The companions of her youth, Magog and Madog, her grandmother's ailing spaniels, were now too old to accompany her on her solitary walks and she was the youngest inhabitant of Clun by decades.

She wasn't of legal age in the wizarding world which meant she could not rely on magic to entertain her. If she was honest the stories and games that had entertained her before she met Charlie were no longer compatible with what she had learnt of the world. Battling dragons that lurked in the underground dungeons of the castle or saving princes in mortal danger lacked appeal now that she knew that the real monsters were the princes in disguise. Tales of myth and legend woven by a grandmother who still believed Arthur lay sleeping seemed out of place when she knew elements of her own family had been responsible for the years of terror that had stalked the wizarding world.

Tonks had lived with her grandmother since before her eighth birthday. Both her parents had been killed in death eater attack whilst she had been staying with her grandmother during her annual holiday in Clun. As she grew up she'd been told a variety of lies, but finally terrified about what might be said to her at Hogwarts, her grandmother had admitted the brutal truth. It might have been sanctioned by You-Know-Who but it had been orchestrated by the house of Black, in an attempt to remove impurities from the family tree as surely as their names had been blasted off the family tapestry. Tonks had begun to wonder whether she had been deliberately spared or whether it merely a fortunate accident. Why would Bella kill her sister yet be unable to hunt down her sister's child? Later as an auror, she came across the case notes and was horrified to read how her father had suffered the brunt of her aunt's rage whilst the cause of her mother's death had been undeterminable. Personally she wasn't convinced her aunt had had it in her to murder her younger sister, which meant either someone else had been involved that summer's evening or her mother's death had not been meant to happen. If anything good had come out of that evening, it was that her latent metamorphmagus ability was triggered. She never wore her true face again – would you want to walk the streets, wearing the face of your mother's murderer? It was ironic really that she'd ended up looking more like a Black than her mother did, poker straight hair which was black as a raven's wing with haunting eyes to match, the sallow skin and slim proportions. There seemed nothing of her father's family in her genetic make-up at all.

She sent Charlie's letters back unopened – after all what was there really left to say? She had no wish to appease his guilty desire for them to remain friends. She wanted freedom from the ties of the past. By the final week of the holidays, he seemed to have finally got the message to back off. Deep down, though she resented the ease at which he seemed to have adjusted to a life without her.

* * *

Mum says Tonks was stifling me, but I know that's not why it happened. If anything I stifled Tonks, kept her away from her Ravenclaw house mates, kept her away from the possibility of making friends with them, tried to influence her, tried to keep her away from other boys. We met on the train, 'Wotcher' was the first thing she said to me and somehow over the long journey we seemed to have shared a lifetime looking back. She was the first thing that was mine, just mine, not Bill's or something Mum had sourced from a jumble sale. I had never had anything that was solely mine and I was determined to keep her friendship as mine and mine alone. She always fought me on that, always tried to make other friends, but in others' eyes her past outweighed her personality. Sooner or later she came back to me; I'd never had to chase her before. Now wouldn't be any different, I hoped.

Perhaps I'm weak – I let myself be tempted, I knew what Rosemary was offering, knew what Mum was promising. It didn't seem so bad at first, a few chaste kisses on the cheek, holding her hand or her waist so she didn't get swept away or lost in London. Somewhere along the way I began to crave her, began to desire her in a way the familiarity of Tonks never affected me. Perhaps I wanted out and so wanted to be tempted. Maybe I'm not ready for a monogamous relationship.

Yet none of those excuses are really how or why it happened. I've always been afraid of loosing Tonks, every so often I've pushed her away but she's always fought her way back, like in third year when I decided I didn't want to be friends with someone related to Black, she just laughed it off and told me she'd be waiting once I got my head sorted out. It was years before I realised how much that comment must have cost her. She put up with the quidditch groupies and never had any of her own. To be honest I know she felt Ravenclaw only put her on the team because she was the best seeker they could get their hands on and if knowledge is her house's first obsession, winning is probably its second. As a result the rest of the team ignored her when she wasn't in the air or in a training session and the school followed suit.

As to why I felt the need to constantly test our friendship I can only say that sometimes the best thing that can happen to you is the hardest thing to accept. I don't think that I could ever cope with the idea that the brilliant, madcap, imp that was Tonks could possibly want to be friends with the considerably less intelligent, quiet, figure constantly in his brother's shadow that was me. Bill had always gotten everything eventual, even on the rare occasion I got my hands on something first, and I guess I was just trying to avoid the hurt when he eventually got his hands on Tonks. He's going to be in Egypt this year, you'd think that would neutralise the threat but no it just seemed easier to distance myself from Tonks rather than torture myself with the inevitability of the two of them, who were so much more alike, ending up together and leaving me alone.

Except this time something went wrong, Tonks didn't fight back, she just accepted her defeat, if not gracefully then without resorting to violence. She just said she'd finally had enough of always coming last and always being the one to put things right between us. She won't talk to me, doesn't read my letters and has made it clear she intends to ignore me at school next year. Bill reckons that I'm letting the best thing in my life slip through my fingers but maybe he's trying to use that reverse psychology muggles go on about, it must because how can anyone not want Tonks? But shouldn't she be hanging around if she is the best thing in my life?

**Thanks for taking the time to read this, though I'd really appreciate a constructive criticism just to let me know whether its worth carrying on writing this.**


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